The Sum of All Fears
by The Mushroom Fairy
Summary: Inuyasha and Sesshomaru are forced to spend a little quality time together. Who KNOWS where that could lead! shonenai Complete.


"We're lost. Just as I thought."

"WHAT?!" Inuyasha turned to Sesshoumaru, enraged. "What do you mean, 'Just as I thought'?!" he cried, a near-perfect imitation of his older brother's sultry, self-important tone. "You're the one who said to cross the gorge in the first place!"

"And who decided to follow the mushroom trail? Every fool knows they lead in circles."

"So you're a fool! At last you admit it."

Sesshoumaru bonked Inuyasha on the head. "Silence, half-whit! I sense...something."

"Oh, you 'sense...something'. You are sooo perceptive."

"Shut up, fool! Do you want them to--get down!!" Suddenly, Sesshoumaru threw himself on top of his younger brother in a protective embrace, holding him to the ground.

Inuysha didn't dare move. If Sesshoumaru touched him this way, there had to be some real threat nearby. Besides, Inuyasha would never pass up the chance for this sort of hold. He wouldn't dare admit it to Sesshoumaru, or to himself consciously, but he felt so safe in this position. He could have lain there forever, just smelling the clean scent of Sesshoumaru's religiously washed hair and feeling the warmth of his body...

"Don't...even...breathe..." Sesshoumaru hissed, his mouth so close that Inuyasha could feel his warm breath gently caressing his ear.

As if he could breathe. These moments always terrified and excited him at the same time. It was like his wildest fantasy coming to life. Yet it became reality far too seldom for him to waste; he didn't dare breath for fear of blowing away the lucky cloud that had settled over him and ruining the dream.

As they lay so still, the sound of horse's hooves approached rapidly. There were several. They stopped near the spot where Sesshoumaru held Inuyasha down behind the line of trees, and the riders held a conversation in some language that Inuyasha could not comprehend. From the look of his elder brother's face, Sesshoumaru was also unable to understand their foreign tongues.

After a time, the riders moved on, but for a moment Sesshoumaru hesitated to climb off of his younger brother. _Why?_ Inuyasha wondered. _Does he feel it, too?_

But then Sesshoumaru did move away, standing up without offering to help Inuyasha to stand.

_Prick._

"What was that?" Inuyasha grumbled, dusting the grass stains from his clothes.

"I...really don't know," Sesshoumaru said with a frown. "Very peculiar..."

"Well, let's just get moving. I don't know why, but those riders gave me a funny feeling inside." Or something did.

"I don't know, Inuyasha..." Sesshoumaru cocked his head to the side, in thought. His brother knew that at times such as these, words would be wasted if he thought to say anything. So instead the half-demon sat down on a tree stump and tried to think unpleasant thoughts...anything to distract from his excitement. Finally, Sesshoumaru nodded and started off down one of the many twisting paths.

"Hey! Sesshoumaru, wait up! Where are you going? Did you think of a plan? Hey, isn't this the same way we came from? I may not have an excellent sense of direction, but--ouch!"

Sesshoumaru clubbed his brother again, this time a fist to his jaw. "I won't tell you again, shut up!" Without another word, he silently marched on.

................................................................LATER......................................................................

"I don't like this," Inuyasha said a bit shakily, stumbling in the darkness. He and Sesshoumaru had somehow found a misted trail, so thick with fog it was as night--only hours too early--and the air was damp. "Are we heading into a swamp? I hope not. The last thing I want right now is wet. I hate swamps. I absolutely detest them. I--"

"Inuyasha?"

"Eh?"

"SHUT UP!"

"...Sorry."

Eventually, the fog grew so thick about them, even Sesshoumaru's cat-like eyes could not distinguish one tree from another. "We'll have to stop here."

"And what?" Inuyasha whined. "Turn around and go back, I bet. See? You've gotten us lost again, you--hey...Sesshoumaru? S-Sesshoumaru? Are you there?"

"I'm down here, you idiot," Sesshoumaru mumbled.

"What are you doing on the ground?"

"Going to sleep."

"HUH?!"

"We can't go any farther tonight."

"It's still daytime, I think! Why can't we just go back?"

"Hmph. Try it. But I'm not coming after you if you get lost."

"We already _are_ lost!"

"I'm not lost."

"Damn you!"

Sesshoumaru yawned. "Been there; done that."

"Hmph. Smartass." Inuyasha stood in the cool darkness for an eternity. He didn't know what to do. If he could have seen any better through the fog, he might have turned back the way they'd come and left Sesshoumaru on his own. He was pissed he'd been separated from his team and stuck with this back-stabbing bastard, as it was. Now they were alone together, and that was never a good thing. It just made Inuyasha's heart beat wildly and unbidden desires come creeping into his thoughts.

_Why?!_ he screamed inside himself, finally settling down close to his brother. _Why do I...want you? Why do I...desire you? My own brother! And, Sesshoumaru...I lo--_

"Would you hurry up and get settled? Don't wake me again."

"Sorry."

"Why do you keep saying that?"

"Saying what?"

"Apologizing for everything?"

"...Cuz I'm sorry?"

"Yes, but why are you sorry? Don't you hate me? Don't you like cursing at me and tripping me and annoying me?"

"It's my job as your brother. So, yes--I enjoy it."

"That's not what I meant." Sesshoumaru sat up, strangely wide awake. "I mean, you behave as though you hate me, Inuyasha, but with the way you're always slipping up, I know better."

"Y-you...do?"

"Oh, yes. But, really, you know this is a futile waste of time, what you're doing."

Inuyasha felt his heart crying. "Y-yes," he murmured sadly.

"What I mean is, you'll never be good as me, so stop getting so jealous. We can't all have been born beautiful, perfect beings, even if we are brothers."

Inuyasha grew suddenly angry, but the moment he raised his fist, his expression softened to...almost a...smile. It was so like Sesshoumaru to push his buttons...and he was the only one who could do it.

The young half-demon let his fist relax, then dared to let his palm rest on Sesshoumaru's waist. Well, so he assumed; kind of hard to tell through all that material of the man's robes.

"...What are you doing?"

"Holding you."

"Why?"

"Because I'm afraid. Of your ego."

Inuyasha felt Sesshoumaru's body move closer, and he winced for retaliation as something neared his face. But it wasn't a slap or a punch or even a bite. Sesshoumaru kissed Inuyasha, right next to his mouth, and then hugged him closer.

"...What are you doing?" Inuyasha asked breathlessly.

"Holding you."

"Why?"

"Because I'm afraid. To let you go."

THE END


End file.
